The week until Vallum's battle with Bruce passed the same each day. He would wake up, drink the medicine that was left for him at the door, then he would sit in his room going over the fight. Around midday he would get a meal and fresh bandages for his shoulders. The day would end with him thinking about Kenra or wondering about where Vynn and Sari ended up. But now, it was the day of the fight.
The door to his room burst open and Vallum slowly stood, with his body covered in the light that flooded the room. This time the guards stood by the door and waited for him to come out. He took his time and walked out of the room with a forced coolness that couldn't quite hide the trembling in his fingers.
'I can die in this match. With one good blow from that gheji bull, I'll die. No one can save me if I fail to dodge and get gored through the chest. And my death would simply be lost money. They don't care if I die or not." Vallum walked behind the guards who picked up on his solemn air and didn't say anything. As they walked, he took the opportunity to really take in the details of the corridor around him. He wanted to think about anything but the fight. Each step he took was fuel for his heart to pound harder than before. He heard his own footsteps louder than usual; they echoed slightly in the corridor.
"Good luck." One of the guards said when they reached the end of the corridor. Vallum raised his hand to the man as he walked out into the arena. The crowd was quiet as he walked purposefully toward the center. He firmly planted himself in the middle of the arena and threw both hands in the air. The crowd roared in response. He saw the bull down the tunnel charging toward him and yelled a challenge.
"BRUUUUUCE!" Vallum bellowed.
He charged toward the wild bull and veered off to the side just before he met the bull. This wasn't part of his original plan, but his fear called him to end things quickly. The bull slowed to a stop in order to turn around and Vallum used the opportunity to kick in the bull's back leg. It's knee buckled and Vallum released a couple more kicks before the bull recovered. Bruce stood back up and kicked behind him, but Vallum had already retreated to one of the arena's walls. Vallum fell back on his original strategy after sorting his mind out.
"Hey! Expensive meat, I am over here." Vallum attracted the bull's attention.
Bruce turned and charged at Vallum. When Vallum judged that Bruce was close enough, he jumped out of the way. The bull was not able to stop or turn quickly enough, so it slammed into the arena wall. Chunks of concrete flew from the point of impact and the wall shook. The spectators sitting in the area screamed and ran for safety.
Vallum started to gain confidence from how his plan was going. Bruce was visibly shaken from the impact and Vallum was able to incapacitate one of the bull's legs with a series of kicks.
After the first leg fell, the rest of the legs were easy. Bruce could hardly move without his fourth leg, so he was a sitting duck for the mobility that Vallum had working for him. He brought the great beast to the ground and dragged it to the center of the arena by its horns. Placing his foot on the bull's neck, Vallum threw a fist into the sky. The crowd going crazy at his victory was the first time their noise had broken through the focus he had on the fight.
'I did it, Kenra! I am one step closer. Still a slave, but closer.' Vallum thought with a smile.
Vallum stood in the center of the arena for a while longer, working the crowd until he decided it was enough. Then he walked back into the corridor and was greeted by the guards.
"You are going to be interesting to watch at the next level. Congratulations." One of them said.
"I wonder what animal you'll form a contract with." The other one pondered.
Vallum didn't have anything to say, so he walked to his room in silence. When he arrived, he was greeted with a meal even larger than the meal he got after the lions. He enjoyed his meal and celebrated his win against the feared gheji bull. Not only did he gain the opportunity to advance to the next level, but he laid his fear to rest.
He was sitting on his bed when the usual guards opened the door.
"Another match today?" Vallum questioned.
"Time for you to meet with the court magician. There is a lack of gladiators to fight in the hybrid matches, so you have to move up as soon as possible."
'The court magician? Is that how the contract is going to be made? Kenra, will you be able to make contracts?' Vallum wondered.
He followed the guards, thinking about what type of animal he would like to have a contract with.
'A big cat would be nice. Those lionesses were fierce. I wonder if I could form a contract with a bird, not that I would want to. Oh, an ox would be nice for when Kenra and I build our house in the mountains.' He thought.
The guards brought him to an unfamiliar place, that reminded him of the warehouse that he had been kept in before he ended up here. The biggest difference was that the cages here were filled with animals of all different kinds rather than humans. He was brought to a small group of people that surrounded the suited man that bought him. Off to the side, there was a man wearing a red cloak. He was by an animal cage, interacting with the animal inside.
"You have earned the opportunity to move on to the hybrid fights, congratulations." The man in the suit said.
Vallum stared at the man with clenched fists.
"Why don't you pick out an animal to contract with? You can pick any of them." The man gestured to all of the cages.
Vallum grudgingly took his eyes off the man and took a good look around the room. He sorted through the animals with his eyes until he saw it. He knew what he was going to contract.